Whatever happened to...

[punkNpuppets]

i was reading the Unpaved review and it said that it never really said "what happened" to Simon Soundman, it just said an example of what he says. what DID happen to him?

and it doesn't say what happened to Sam The Robot, it just says "if he was supposed to be a hit, he wasn't". why'd they get rid of him?

they also said that they didn't mention Rodeo Rosie or Deena Monster. What happened to Rodeo Rosie and who is Deena Monster?

here are some muppets they didn't include.

What happened to Herbert Birdsfoot?

Sherlock Hemlock?

Why havent they found a replacement for Gladys? why didn't they just use another cow?

what happened to Sonny Friendly, the book said he's now played by David Rudman. how often is he on? in fact, i forgot what Sonny sounds like!!! can someone tell me how he sounds, was that his voice on the beginning of Sing Yourself Sillier At The Movies?

What happened to Biff and Sully?


another question, according to Unpaved, Roosevelt Franklin is "little purple anything muppet" What other parts has he played?

and here's something that's kinda weird. on the Muppets And Their Celebrity Counterparts section, it shows Placido Flamingo, Meryl Sheep, and Polly Darton. It says above Meryl Sheep "Meryl Sheep", and it says above Polly "Polly Darton", but above Placido Flamingo it says "Placido DOMINGO"! ever noticed that?

[Jeffrey Gray]

Originally posted by punkNpuppets
and here's something that's kinda weird. on the Muppets And Their Celebrity Counterparts section, it shows Placido Flamingo, Meryl Sheep, and Polly Darton. It says above Meryl Sheep "Meryl Sheep", and it says above Polly "Polly Darton", but above Placido Flamingo it says "Placido DOMINGO"! ever noticed that?

Probably a mistake. Placido Flamingo is a parody of Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo.

[guysmiley4ever]

Ello, I was just reading thru some posts here and noticed your photo...Wow, there's a show I never missed! You can't do that on Television! (I don't know)
And another fave...Out Of Control! (cut it out)
*sniff* Nickelodeon used to be so awesome, sigh, those were the days.
And they actually played 'Today's Special'. Ahhhh.
Plus the weekend show, "Special Delivery"...Where I first saw 'The Frog Prince', 'The Monster Maker', and other great Henson shows!
Ah, those were the days...Have a spiffy day!!

[punkNpuppets]

i know

[Joggy]

I think I might have a few answers:

"i was reading the Unpaved review and it said that it never really said "what happened" to Simon Soundman, it just said an example of what he says. what DID happen to him?"

I believe he's still used occasionally! Seen him in a few newer clips, but not too much.

"and it doesn't say what happened to Sam The Robot, it just says "if he was supposed to be a hit, he wasn't". why'd they get rid of him?"

I think the character just was too annoying and wasn't good enough a character to last. Seen one clip of him. I didn't like him.

"they also said that they didn't mention Rodeo Rosie or Deena Monster. What happened to Rodeo Rosie and who is Deena Monster?"

Rodeo Rosie, I dunno. Deena Monster was a purple monster with rolling eyes (like Cookie) and orange hair on top. She was Karen Prell's first character. She lived in a cave with an older monster (her nanny??) named Pearl, and they did Bert and Ernie-type of scenes around 1982. They were two of the "added in the '80s" characters that did not work too well and disappeared quickly.

"What happened to Herbert Birdsfoot?"

Herbert was added to the show when it was decided that Kermit, for some unknown reason, would leave SS in 1970. Herbert would give lectures instead of Kermit, but the old 69 clips of Kermit were still used. A year later Kermit returned with new material, making Herbert useless.

"Sherlock Hemlock?"

Sherlock appeared on the street and in Mystery Theatre in the 90's. Is he still seen?

"Why havent they found a replacement for Gladys? why didn't they just use another cow?"

Something we all wonder... She was even used in a new clip with Bert and Ernie and a lot of other cows.

"What happened to Biff and Sully?"

I have the feeling that for some strange reason Sully was abandoned after Richard's death - which is weird because anyone could have performed him! But maybe it's really a Jerry/Richard kinda thing, like Bert and Ernie was a Frank/Jim kinda thing, and they chose to quit.

"another question, according to Unpaved, Roosevelt Franklin is "little purple anything muppet" What other parts has he played?"

Roosevelt Franklin was a student at Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School. Many of his scenes took place in a classroom (starting with the Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School theme song) where he would give lectures to his classmates. Roosevelt was a cool blueslovin' Afro dude.

He also recorded an album which can be found on Ebay occasionally, with songs like "I Love The Skin I'm In" and "Just Because" about discrimination.

The purple Anything Muppet also played various little kid parts. For instance he was Betty Lou in the first episode.

[mikealan]

I think I know why they got rid of Sam the Robot, they got rid of him, because he talked and walked very slowly and of course makes everything wrong. People really didn't like making everything wrong. I've seen one street segment of him greeting Luis very slowly on the Museum of Radio & Television version of Sesame Street episode#536 when I was in 9th grade.

I checked out at the Sesame Street Encyclopedia that Sherlock Hemlock was off Sesame Street in 1996, but why did they got rid of him in 1996?

Gladys the Cow is STILL on Sesame Street! She appeared on the karaoke street segment on the 34th season premiere.

[ssetta]

I was quite surprised to see Gladys, but I don't know if they plan on doing anymore. Unfortunately, they don't really like any of those old characters anymore. Some of the once-major characters are starting to become minor. Look, even Oscar the Grouch isn't on that much anymore. And I know that they still like Ernie, but I don't think so much Bert. The only character that kids really like today is Elmo. They have done research saying that kids just don't like those characters, simply, because they're too old-fashioned.

[mikealan]

That's true. Oscar, Snuffy and Bert will never be on Sesame Street ever again. But BTW, Ernie, the Count, Grover, Cookie, Telly and Big Bird are still around but I can't believe that Elmo, Zoe, Rosita and Baby Bear became more and more and more popular!!!

Elmo, Zoe, Rosita and Baby Bear will soonly take over Sesame Street and will change into Elmo's Show. I think this is how it will went:

La la la la
La la la la
Elmo's Show

La la la la
La la la la
ELMO'S SHOW!

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by mikealan

That's true. Oscar, Snuffy and Bert will never be on Sesame Street ever again.

Uh, why? Snuffy and Bert have been on a few episodes recently. One even centered around Bert's birthday!

[teenintosesame]

"and it doesn't say what happened to Sam The Robot, it just says "if he was supposed to be a hit, he wasn't". why'd they get rid of him?"

I think the character just was too annoying and wasn't good enough a character to last. Seen one clip of him. I didn't like him.

Well, the book, "Sesame Street Unpaved" also says that Sam the Robot was played by Jerry Nelson who was boxed into a cumbersome suit. Maybe another reason Sam the Robot was erased was because the costume was too cumbersome on Jerry Nelson.

[GeeBee]

Originally Posted by Joggy

"another question, according to Unpaved, Roosevelt Franklin is "little purple anything muppet" What other parts has he played?"

Roosevelt Franklin was a student at Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School. Many of his scenes took place in a classroom (starting with the Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School theme song) where he would give lectures to his classmates. Roosevelt was a cool blueslovin' Afro dude.

He also recorded an album which can be found on Ebay occasionally, with songs like "I Love The Skin I'm In" and "Just Because" about discrimination.

The purple Anything Muppet also played various little kid parts. For instance he was Betty Lou in the first episode.

Actually Roosevelt Franklin was the TEACHER at his school. It was never clear how he got to be the teacher (or for that matter got a school named after him) since he seemed to be around the same age as his students. I always figured that he was so smart, he probably got to advance all the way to the top.

Also, the song "The Skin I'm In" was actually supposed to be by Roosevelt's brother, Baby Ray Franklin, a VERY obscure character on the album "The Year Of Roosevelt Franklin" (I don't know if he ever appeared as an actual muppet on the TV show). It's a great song; I don't remember all of it, but it goes something like this:

"Take a look at me talkin';

I love the way I talk;

Take a look at me walkin';

I love the way I walk;

If you ain't never seen my kind;

I don't know where you have been;

My kind of skin;

Yeah, I loved the skin I'm in.



Way, way back in the old days;

We used to be ashamed;

But, then we found out we were beautiful;

And then we've never been the same;

I don't just speak for myself;

I speak for all of my kin;

From my knees to my shine;

Yeah, I love the skin I'm in.






I know my letter and my numbers;

And maybe better than you;

So, if you look at me funny;

I'll look at you funny too.

If we can stop all this foolishness;

I know that we can win;

My kind of skin;

Yeah, I love the skin I'm in.



Sesame Street was usually low key on such issues and taught by example, however, at that right time, they were not afraid to roll up their sleeves and teach a direct message against prejudice. While it's always good to recognize our similarities and not be overly preachy, it is sometimes necessary to acknowledge how much prejudice and discrimination has been present in our society.

Anyway, the song "Just Because" focused on an anti-violence message. Roosevelt sang of how he would never hurt some other folks simply because they "were not his kind."


Sesame Street used to really have a backbone.

[teenintosesame]

I think I saw Guy Smiley in the main street story of a season 32(2001)episode of Sesame Street in which Maria has a lot of emergency toaster repairs. He was dressed in his usual clothes and did not talk. However, I don't know who was performing him.

[Splurge]

Originally Posted by teenintosesame

I think I saw Guy Smiley in the main street story of a season 32(2001)episode of Sesame Street in which Maria has a lot of emergency toaster repairs. He was dressed in his usual clothes and did not talk. However, I don't know who was performing him.

Maybe it was one of the Muppeteers in training.

[GeeBee]

Everyone knows that Snuffy is Big Bird's best friend. Earlier on, however, it looked like Big Bird was going to have a different best friend, Little Bird. There were early sketches about the two of the comparing their differences and realizing that they could still be friends and their friendships was also mentioned on a Sesame Street album. I wonder if Snuffy canceled Little Bird's role or if they simply decided that he (Little Bird was usually voiced by a female and sounds like it, but was referred to as "he" on the album, so I'm going by that) did not work for the show. Although the character seems to have vanished, they did include Little Bird in a 1990's Sesame Street colorforms set and I was very surprised. The Sesame Street Unpaved book mentions Little Bird, but does not include him in the "What ever happened to" section. What did ever happen to Little Bird?

[teenintosesame]

Originally Posted by Splurge

Maybe it was one of the Muppeteers in training.

In the 2001 episode when Guy Smiley appeared as one of Maria's patrons when Maria has many emergency toaster repairs, Guy actually did talk a little, and Dantecat says Guy Smiley was performed in that episode by Steve Whitmire.